THIRD PERSON POV
"Who are you?" Astrid demanded again, her voice firm and commanding. Claw hesitated, unsure of how to respond. He didn't want to reveal his true identity, but he also didn't want to lie to her. "I...I'm no one," he stammered, trying to think of a way to deflect her question.
Astrid's eyes narrowed, and she took a step closer to him. "Don't play games with me," she warned. "I won't ask again, who are you?" Claw felt a shiver run down his spine as he met her gaze. He was trapped, and he knew it. "I'm nothing but a lowly refugee from the village of Flavin. I fled from my village when Claw and his men attacked," he said, the first thing that came to mind.
If he were to tell Astrid the truth, they would have to battle, and he would hate to hurt her. Astrid's mouth fell open as she threw her bowl to the ground. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. Could you please move into the light?" she demanded, her eyes pleading.
Claw hesitated; he wasn't sure if going to her was the right thing. How was he going to explain his pit-black skin and the magical bandages that covered the better part of him? The bandages aided in absorbing moisture and preventing fallout from his cracked skin, which had plagued him for years.
Claw took a sharp breath, covered the better part of his face with a cloth, and moved forward. He moved swiftly, ending up two meters in front of her. Close up, Claw would come to find that Astrid was twice as beautiful as he had anticipated.
Astrid, on the other hand, only pitied him upon seeing a glimpse of his bandaged skin. "What happened to you? Did those animals do that to you?" she questioned, approaching him, but he instinctively stopped her. "Stay back," he commanded, his voice panicked.
Astrid obliged, attributing his behavior to fright. "I wouldn't hurt you. My name is Astrid Davisa, I am the daughter of Alpha Von of Gavida and one of the heads of the HLF, an organization built to help victims of Claw like you and protect what's left of the human race," Astrid explained, all the while Claw's gaze never left hers.
"We would like to offer you aid for your wounds and also ask you a couple of questions." At this point, Claw should have taken his chance at escaping, but instead, he stayed because he loved talking to her. "I will talk to you only," he demanded, and Astrid nodded.
"As for the bruises and color of my skin, this is all natural. I was born with a rare condition which causes my skin to look like a tree's bark, and it usually breaks from time to time, hence the bandages." Before Claw could finish, Astrid used her superhuman speed, capturing him in a tender hug.
"I'm so sorry you have to live like this," Astrid said, her voice etched with concern. Claw was dumbstruck, speechless; no one had ever been this close to him, let alone hugged him, and she felt so warm against his skin.
His heart was racing. This was the kindest anyone had ever been to him. Astrid wasn't human, but she was more human than anyone he had ever met, and he couldn't deny the connection he felt to her. He badly wanted to reciprocate the hug, but unfortunately, he never knew how.
Before he could understand it, Astrid pulled away. "I'm sorry about the hug," she apologized as she took out a small bag of coins and handed it over. "Manage with these on your travels until we can recapture your village back from Claw and his henchmen. I wish I could aid you better, but unfortunately, that's all I have."
Claw's heart skipped a beat at her kind gesture. She barely knew him, and yet she offered him all that she had. Although money wasn't Claw's problem, he still accepted the petty funds as a token to remember her by.
"Thank you," Claw gratified, a visible spark igniting in his eyes. "I should be on my way now," he spoke after staring at Astrid for what seemed like eternity. "Take good care of yourself, Princess. I look forward to seeing you in the future."
"As do I, good sir," she voiced as he took his leave. Just then, Adam returned with a jug of water for Astrid. "Here you go," he said, handing it to her. Astrid took the jug, "Thank you, Adam," she said, picked up her bowl, and hurried towards her horse.
"We have to head down to Flavin. The people need our help," Astrid said, her voice filled with determination. Adam's brows fell, "I thought you weren't going," he doubted, mounting his horse.
"I changed my mind. Eren is way too incompetent to be trusted with people's lives," Astrid said casually, as she murmured to the horse, and it began running. Adam just shook his head, smiling. He knew his Astrid would come around; she was way too much of a softie to let people die, and that was one of the things he loved most about her.
Adam and Astrid rode down to Flavin as fast as they could, but when they got there, hell had already broken loose. Blood and bodies were everywhere, as a fierce battle between the forces of the HLDF and Claw's men was unfolding.
Adam and Astrid hopped off their horses, attacking with their swords. Astrid, being a vampire with a form superior to other vampires thanks to her wolf heritage, could have easily vanquished the better part of Claw's army, but unfortunately, she couldn't summon her alter ego on command, and it was too scary for most humans to behold.
Adam and Astrid held up Claw's men for the better part of the night, but as time passed, they drifted apart. As the battle grew to a close, the greater amount of the living dead approached Astrid, as though they had sensed something – the power emanating from her.
Astrid tried to end as many as possible, cutting down one after the other, but in the end, her power was no match for them. Astrid was backed into a corner, her sword flew out of her grip onto the ground. Astrid was left defenseless, surrounded by an army of living dead, with nowhere to run.
Astrid moved back, trying to create an opening, but was pushed to the ground by one of the living dead. On the ground, Astrid scrambled for escape to no avail. The living dead army surrounding her raised their weapons, ready to strike her.
Astrid closed her eyes, braced herself, and waited for the impact that never came. She waited and waited, but there was no impact. All she heard was a loud bang, then a gentle pat on her shoulder. She opened her eyes to see the last person she was expecting to see – Claw.
He was still wearing the cloth over his face. She looked around to see that all the living dead who had tried to kill her were lying dead on the ground. "Are you okay?" he asked, worry etched on his face.
Astrid, trembling from fear, had thought she was going to die. In her state of panic, she did the only logical thing – she pulled him into a hug. "You're safe now," Claw assured her, as he patted her back to curb her shaking.
Astrid truly felt safe; she closed her eyes for a couple of seconds. When she opened them, she saw Adam with a raised sword at Claw's back, a murderous intent on his face. "Adam, stop!" she screamed, ruining Adam's plan.
Astrid pulled away from the hug, stopping Adam in his path. "Astrid, move out of the way," Adam commanded, but Astrid stayed put. "No, Adam, I wouldn't let you hurt him." "You don't understand, Astrid, that man is Claw," Adam informed, his words taking Astrid aback.
"Ask him," Adam commanded, his eyes filled with determination. Astrid's heart skipped a beat as she slowly turned to Claw, a dull expression on her face. Claw stood firm, observing them quietly, the scenario he had long avoided now playing before his eyes.
How was he supposed to explain things to Astrid – that he wasn't who she thought he was and that he had lied to her? "Mr., what's your name?" she probed slowly, approaching Claw with nonchalance. "Astrid, I..." Claw tried opening his mouth, but his words wouldn't fall out.
He couldn't bring himself to break her heart. "Answer the question. Are you Claw?" Astrid yelled, her eyes turning red with immense rage. Claw looked at Astrid, his eyes still pleading, as he took a deep breath and confessed. "Yes," Claw voiced, and Astrid's world collapsed.
"You lied to me. You played with my intelligence," Astrid screamed, vexed.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know..." he tried explaining, but Astrid cut in, fuming with anger.
"Adam, he is all yours," Astrid said, turning her back on him.
"With pleasure," Adam boasted, walking towards Claw. Astrid stood at a distance, hearing the sound of swords clanging, and then suddenly, a loud cry.
Her heart skipped a beat; that voice belonged to no other than her boyfriend Adam.
"God, please," she prayed, hoping for the best. In her panic, Astrid turned to see her boyfriend Adam on the ground, covered in his own pool of blood.
Adam wasn't moving. Astrid's worst nightmare had come true; Adam was dead. Claw had killed him. Astrid's eyes widened in horror as she stared at Adam's lifeless body. She felt a wave of grief wash over her, followed by a burning rage.
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